Aṅguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
VIII. Ānanda Vagga

III. The Book of the Threes

VIII. About Ānanda

Sutta 78

Sīla-b-Bata Suttaṃ

Service

[204]

Thus have I heard:

On a certain occasion¹ the venerable Ānanda was staying near Vesālī,
in Great Grove,
at the House with the Peaked Gable.

Now the venerable Ānanda went to see the Exalted One,
and on coming to him
saluted him
and sat down at one side.

As he sat thus
the Exalted One said this
to the venerable Ānanda:

"What think you, Ānanda?

Will every sort of moral practice,
way of living,
sanctity of life
and excellence of service²
have a like fruit hereafter?"

"I would not say, lord,
that it is inevitably so."

"Well, then, do you go into particulars."³

"For instance, lord,
that moral practice,
way of living,
sanctity of life
and excellence of service
which increase unprofitable states
and decrease profitable states
in him who observes [205] them, -
such moral practice,
way of living,
sanctity of life
and excellence of service
are without fruit.

But,
that moral practice,
way of living,
sanctity of life
and excellence of service
which increase profitable states
and decrease unprofitable states
in him who observes them, -
such moral practice,
way of living,
sanctity of life
and excellence of service
do have this fruit."

So said the venerable Ānanda
and the Teacher agreed with him.

Then the venerable Ānanda, thinking:

"The Teacher agrees with me",
rose up from his seat,
saluted the Exalted One by the right
and went away.

Now not long after the venerable Ānanda was gone
the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks, Ānanda is a learner.

Yet it would not be easy
to find his equal in insight."

¹ Nidanaṃ.

² Upaṭṭhāna-sāraṃ.